Apple's Getting Serious About Its TV Dreams

We've known Apple has had TVambitions bigger than its relatively useless TV box for awhile, but according to the The Wall Street Journal's Jessica Vascellaro and Sam Schechner, Apple is really, really thinking about it now. Like many companies -- Netflix, Microsoft, Google, Verizon -- trying to figure out the future of TV, Apple is discussing the various possibilities to winning the living room. Though, Steve Jobs had claimed to have "cracked" the TV, that could mean a lot of things. And, as the Vascellaro and Schechner note, this project really could go in many directions.

A Media Box

Apple transformed digital music with iTunes, it might have the same luck with television and iTV. Apple has Senior Vice President Eddy Cue on the project, note Vascellaro and Schechner. Cue headed up iTunes and as we noted, has some of that Jobs creativity the current CEO Tim Cook lacks. Cue and co are now in discussions with "media executives at several large companies," report Vascellaro and Schechner. As we saw with Google TV and Netflix, content providers haven't embraced an all-streaming TV future quite yet. Though Apple succeeded with music, it hasn't had the same luck with television yet. The current talks don't mean much. Vascellaro and Schechner say the cooperation is "unclear," pointing out the "mixed success" the company has had. Yet, Apple has floated various possibilities to media companies, like adding new video services for Apple devices, or creating an Apple video service of its own. But, "people familiar with the matter" call those talks "exploratory" -- not exactly a done deal.

Siri Is the Future of TV

The New York Times's Nick Bilton decided that Siri was the key to Steve Jobs's "cracked" TV and these reports indicate Apple is moving in that direction. Looking at the Xbox 360 Live model, Apple has discussed in at least one meeting, a TV that incorporates voice and movements. We hear that's one of the best parts of Microsoft's offerings, yet that move wouldn't be revolutionary. Like we said, Microsoft uses its Kinect technology for a voice and movement controlled experience.

All Apple All the Time

Apple wants to take over the living room. That doesn't just mean creating a TV, but connected all of its iGadgets. Apple has discussed creating technology that would allow users to stream video on a TV set and then pick up an iPad and finishing watching that same movie or show. To do this, Apple will incorporate AirPlay, its wireless streaming technology. The current Apple TV already has this capability, which would allow users to stream video from mobile devices to their televisions, but cable companies haven't gotten on board, rendering the tech basically useless. As of now, companies like Time Warner prevent their apps from accessing the technology.

A TV, by Apple

Apple might create its very own television set -- another possibility that wouldn't exactly revolutionize the TV market. Apple didn't comment on this to Vascellaro and Schechner. But we've heard that it might incorporate the tech onto the next iteration of iMac's. And we've also heard that Apple's TV will look a lot like a Bose Video Wave TV. Apple makes pretty devices, so an Apple TV set would probably look nice. But the people want a revolution.